Accessibility in the Labs

The computer workstations at Emerson College all run either Macintosh OS X or Windows XP. Both operating systems are equipped with a number of accessibility options to facilitate usability for special needs users.

Mac OS X Accessibility

On campus Mac workstations, Universal Access preferences can be opened from the menu bar at the top of the screen. Here, users can activate and set preferences for seeing, hearing, keyboard, and mouse assistance options.

Mac OS X features a VoiceOver Utility, which can be accessed through Universal Access preference pane.  This utility is a full-featured screen-reader with USB refreshable braille display support.  VoiceOver's Portable Preferences allows users to easily bring their VoiceOver preferences to any Mac workstation session by simply plugging in a USB flash drive. For a tutorial on using VoiceOver, press ctrl + opt + command + F8 while VoiceOver is activated (using either the Universal Access preference pane, or by pressing command + F5).

For more information on VoiceOver and other Mac OS X Accessibility preferences, please visit Apple's Accessibility page. For additional information regarding accessibility and Mac computing in general, please visit their Accessibility Resources page.

Windows XP Accessibility

Windows XP also comes with a number of accessibility options built in.  The Accessibility Wizard and the Accessibility Options control panel allow users to set options to accommodate difficulties with seeing or hearing, or with using the keyboard or mouse.  Descriptions of the options available, as well as links to step-by-step instructions for setting these options can be found on the Microsoft Windows XP Accessibility Tips and How-to Articles page.